


The Hedgehog Turnabout

by Ceciliavonjoy



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), 逆転裁判 | Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: Angst and Humor, Courtroom Comedy, Courtroom Drama, Gen, Lawyers, Murder, Trials
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:41:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25662271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ceciliavonjoy/pseuds/Ceciliavonjoy
Summary: Phoenix Wright and Athena Cykes go on vacation to Station Square, the rest of the Wright Anything Agency too busy to join them. After all the stress of murder trials, Phoenix is looking forward to relaxing on the beach. But, as what probably happens on all of his vacations, a murder occurs! Will Phoenix be able to prove his client innocent? How many secrets will need to be unraveled?  And will he ever get used to all the strange talking animals?
Kudos: 7





	1. Up All Night

**_September 10th, 2:34 AM_ **

Eggman sighed. Outside was dark, though inside Eggman's plush study was brightly lit. He was at his expensive wooden desk, surrounded by multicolored pens and crumpled up pieces of paper. His computer was open in his patented EggoBlueprint design software, which was entirely blank.

It was a terrible thing for a mad scientist to have writer's block. Curse that hedgehog. It was bad enough that his last scheme had fallen apart. Now just coming up with a new one was being a nuisance! 

An Egg Pawn walked in, struggling to balance a very large black ceramic coffee mug on a tray. Eggman took it, and quaffed the whole thing in one gulp. "Eugh," he said, grimacing into the cup, "I _hate_ this blend."

He turned to further express his displeasure, but the Egg Pawn had already scampered away with the tray. 

Eggman growled, and swiped at the papers on his desk, knocking several to the floor. They softly crinkled away in response to his rage.

Well, fine. He leaned forwards to his computer, deftly typing on the keys to search within his EggoBlueprint files. It's gauche to repeat a plan, but it's not breaking the rules to throw something he's already got at Sonic to give him inspiration. And if it _were_ a rule, who cares? He was evil! Breaking rules was the whole point.

Eggman squinted at the results. Those were so old. So were these. That was just Metal Sonic, but huge and red. He didn't even remember making _that_...sheesh, did he still make those spiky snail things? He'd never built this thing, but...seriously, an egg carton ship? What was he thinking? Where was the art there?

Oh, wait a second. He scrolled back up to examine one. Ah ha, he still had several of those! Their function had just...had just been disrupted by bad luck, that was all. That was hardly his fault. They worked fine; it was the rest of the world that was the problem! Honestly. Everyone he wanted to conquer was so uncooperative.

A direct attack was tempting, but having his dear robots shredded immediately was, unfortunately, extremely likely. That outcome would be so unsatisfying. 

They were a little out of date. If he just tweaked some of them… made them smarter...

He smiled. New ideas began to fill his formidable brain. _Now_ he had it. Sonic would never know what hit him.

**_September 10th, 3:03 AM_ **

A jet airplane soared under the night sky of a country very much like, but not actually, the United States. The plane had departed from California, or possibly Japan, depending on who you asked. 

Athena was bolt upright in her seat, the very picture of energy. She had Widget’s floating blue screen on, and was energetically scrolling through it. “One...more...hour!”

Phoenix mumbled something, his head leaned back as far as the airplane seat would allow. He wore both a sleep mask and a travel pillow around his neck. With no case at the moment, he was actually casually dressed. Maybe a little too casually. Sweatpants were involved. 

“I’m shocked you can even _try_ to sleep!” Athena said. She was still in her bright yellow uniform, for brand recognition. “You remember where we’re going for our vacation, right?”

Picking the overnight flight to save money on plane tickets had seemed like such a good idea at the time. “It’s 3 in the morning, Athena...” 

“Justice never sleeps, why should I?”

“You nap in strange places all the time...”

She was tapping away at her screen, apparently not hearing him. “It sucks that everybody else couldn’t come. Apollo is still in Khura’In, Trucy’s magic shows are booked all week… What did Maya get tied up with, again?”

Phoenix was still refusing to take the sleep mask off. “Won a tour of the Burger King headquarters.”

“Oh, right. And she could bring one guest...so she took her little sister. I’d take that _super personally_ if I were you!"

Phoenix shrugged. He had no interest in the place. He was just happy for Maya; she was finally getting some quality burger time after the wrongful murder accusation. How many times has she ended up in court, now? Five or six? 

“At least I’m not paying for it.” Phoenix said wryly. Wrightly, even. “Like the flight. And the snacks. And the $30 wifi.”

“I need the internet to live, Boss!” Athena waggled a cheeky finger at him. “Besides, how else would I find out about Station Square and everything I have to see there?” She pointed at her screen. “They have everything: casinos, fancy hotels, a beach… This article is even saying they’ve got a Sonic!”

“You’re looking up...restaurants?”

“What? No!” She shook her head. “It’s not a business, I don’t think. This actually seems to be something else. Something about hedgehogs?”

“...Can’t we figure it out once we get there?”

“No way.” Athena leaned in closer to her screen, bright-eyed and eager. “I’m getting to the bottom of this or my name isn’t Athena Cykes!”

Phoenix sighed, but said nothing else. The chances of him getting any more rest on this flight were dwindling away. Just an hour more...


	2. Too Good To Last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The murder isn't gory, but it IS sudden, just so you know!

**_September 11th, 12:25 PM_ **

The sun had long since risen on Station Square. It was a lively city, its people a hardy bunch. They had readily bounced back and rebuilt after the massive flooding only a few years prior (it helped that they put in a new seawall). The bustle of activity was such that you could practically hear some kind of city theme music playing wherever you went in Station Square.

Sometimes what you heard was the wind.

A blur blur darted in between cars on the road and people on the sidewalk, almost making a game out of not touching them. Some people were alarmed, but most weren’t, only recognizing who it was and moving on. 

Then on a whim Sonic zoomed out of the noontime traffic and up a building, the blue trail behind him briefly resembling an ethereal slinky stretched upwards. 

From the flat rooftop Sonic looked over the city, and its cars and train station and new Twinkle Park, and smiled. It was, in fact, happenin’. At least, the city was.

He fanned himself with one hand, though the weather wasn’t really so warm as to need it. If you were looking at him close up, you might think that he was slumping a little.

Sonic chuckled, though it was thinned by him catching his breath. Him, tired? How weird. Maybe his friends were right and being locked up in space jail for half a year had frayed his nerves. Just a little bit. Maybe he  _ should  _ take that vacation? Let everyone else take care of Eggman for a while?

Nahhhh. He’ll just keep doing his usual thing. That was more fun. It would be a terrible thing for a speedster to get bored.

As if the cosmos themselves knew this, he spotted someone interesting down on the sidewalk.

Sonic brightened, his ears perking up. He was the kind of guy who was as happy to see his rivals as he was his friends. What was Shadow doing here?

Well, he’d soon know. He zipped back down the building and went to say hello. 

He saw Shadow look up, see him coming, and scowl.

**_September 11th, 2:16 PM_ **

Phoenix sauntered down the hotel hallway, still looking much like a hobo, carrying two takeout pizzas for a late lunch and/or an early dinner. He was pretty pleased with himself; who knew there were such good deals on food here? Nine bucks for a large pepperoni pizza was a steal! He should find out if Little Caesar’s Pizza exists at home too.

It was too bad Maya or Pearl couldn’t come. He’d spotted an amusement park, not far from the hotel. Though knowing Athena, he shouldn’t mention it to her. She’d want to try the roller coasters… 

Phoenix passed by his own room, and knocked on the door next door. The one thing he’d been wise enough to splurge on was separate hotel rooms. “Athena?” He paused. “Are you awake?” Another pause. “Food, Athena!”

Finally she opened the door, groaning. Athena’s hair was in every direction, her clothes were askew, and there were bags under her bleary eyes. “Ugh...don’t knock so loud. People are tryin’ to sleep.”

This is what happens would you google hedgehogs until five in the morning, Athena…and she’d wanted to sight-see, too. Phoenix responded only by pushing forward the pizzas.

Athena rubbed her eyes, and eyed the pizzas. “Oh, that smells good...is that pepperoni?” Instantly she perked up. “Well, I  _ am  _ hungry. I guess I can forgive you. Come in! Let’s eat!”

He did, and they ate at the small kitchen’s table. Phoenix felt validated in his decision to buy two pizzas when Athena ate half a pie by herself.

“So, Boss,” she said when she was done, leaning back in her chair, “what do you want to do in town? I wanna see  _ everything! _ ”

“Honestly?” He shrugged, smiling ruefully. “Just so long as the vacation doesn’t turn into a working one.”

“I’m sensing some experience here…” She raised a brow. “How many times has that happened?”

“You’d be surprised...”

**_September 11th, 2:17 PM_ **

The fight paused elsewhere in a dingy alley, one hedgehog at either end. The sun had moved, casting darkness between the buildings. Over scattered trash, over a dumpster, over the two rivals. 

“I’ll give you one thing, you’re persistent!” Sonic grinned. His bright emerald eyes faintly glowed in the darkness. His movements were as crisp as they had been when they’d started. “Good thing I don’t get tired. Or lose.”

Shadow stepped forwards. In the darkness, his own eyes burned. “...I’ve had enough of this.”

His smile didn’t so much as twitch at Shadow’s cold gaze and slow advance. “You should’ve given up sooner, if that’s how you felt!”

Sonic magnanimously held out his hand, though the rest of his pose (and expression) were as smug as could be. “Wanna give me the win here, buddy? I’ll even say it was a draw if anyone asks.”

Shadow reached him. He glanced down at the offered hand, expression unreadable.

He took it, yanked, and shoved his other hand through Sonic’s torso.

His right glove dripped as he lifted what was left of his opponent. The dumpster lid was lifted, the remains thrown in, and left to close again.

Shadow, still no expression on his face, turned and walked away.


	3. Getting There

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took me long enough, huh?
> 
> I had been stuck on how to approach Shadow's arrest, but today I finally hammered it out! Now let's see if we can finally get moving.

**_September 15th, 10:03 AM_ **

Phoenix lounged on a beach chair on Emerald Coast, in wraparound sunglasses, khaki shorts, and a bright blue Hawaiian shirt. The summer sunshine shimmered on the white sand and the sparkling ocean waves. A light breeze tickled the leaves of the scattered palm trees. Further down the beach was Athena in her bright canary swimsuit, just re-emerging from the water. 

This was the life. Day five of the vacation, and absolutely nothing bad had happened. He’d been worried, but for once he had gone somewhere to relax, and he was actually doing it. Absolutely no way, no where, no how, no when was this going to be ruined. 

His phone went off in his pocket. He sucked in a breath, and warily looked at the caller ID.

Instead of a cruel irony, it was Trucy. He lit up and hurriedly flipped it open to answer. 

“Hello,” he said, “you’ve reached the cellphone of Phoenix Wright, dad extraordinaire?”

He was rewarded with laughter on the other end.  _ “Hi, daddy! Nothing’s happened, I just wanted to know how you were doing!” _

And she wasn’t calling because of a horrible tragedy! Today was magical. “I’m doing great.” Phoenix said warmly to the phone. “How did yesterday’s show go?

_ “Oh, it was fantastic! A packed house! When I sawed Larry in half, we had people standing in the aisles!” _

“Good job, sweetie!” He was always happy to hear about Trucy’s continued success. She was his little girl! That, and it meant that the agency wouldn’t be in the red for the month. “I knew you’d do well. Everybody on the planet loves your magic tricks.”

_ “Of course! Do you think aliens would? I don’t know if they have magicians on other planets.” _

For a moment, Phoenix found himself seriously contemplating the existence of magic aliens. Maybe Max Galactica, that one time… “Huh… Maybe?”

_ “Anyways, I wish I could have come with you, but the show had to go on! Bring me back a souvenir, daddy?” _

“Of course I will, sweetie.”

“GET BACK DOWN HERE, YOU STUPID MONKEY!”

_ “What was that?” _

Phoenix glanced up to see. “Oh,” he said, less surprised than he maybe should have been, “Athena is yelling at a monkey.”

Trucy took this in stride.  _ “What did he do? Yoink her suit jacket? It’s so yellow, it’s like a banana.” _

“You’re close. It’s got Widget.”

Athena was hopping mad, literally, scrabbling at a palm tree trying to get at the monkey leering at her from the top. Her necklace dangled as a taunt in its hand. “I WILL PUNCH YOU IN YOUR DUMB MONKEY FACE!” Her jumps punctuated her shouting. “ONCE! I! CAN! REACH!”

“She is so mad!” chirped Widget, its small roundness bobbing up and down in the monkey’s grasp.

“ _ YEAH I AM!” _

Phoenix watched this scene play out. “I might need to go help her.” He said casually. “I’ll call you later, okay, Trucy?”

_ “Aww, okay. See you later! Don’t forget my souvenir!” _

“I won’t! Bye bye, Trucy.”

_ “Bye bye!” _

Phoenix let her hang up before closing the phone. He tried to stand up…

...a little too fast. “Ow. Ow.” He winced, doubling over. “My back. Ow.”

“Oh, um, sir?” A young boy’s voice spoke. “Do you need help?”

“Ow... Um, thanks, but I think the pain’s going away now...”

Phoenix looked up for the good samaritan, naturally expecting to see a human being. 

A bright yellow plush toy was staring back at him. It was pretty big for a toy, three feet tall and able to stand. It looked like some kind of fox, with two tails. Was this a cartoon character he didn’t know about? It didn’t  _ look like _ someone from Steel Samurai… 

The fox smiled. “Oh, that’s good.”

And it talks! Phoenix raised his kinked brows. That was a really complex mouth mechanism. Trucy had liked talking toys when she was little, though hers had been much simpler. Her favorite part had been making them disappear once she wanted them to shut up.

Was there a really small child making it move around? He leaned to the left, trying to peer behind it. He didn’t see anyone...maybe some kid had left it here and run off?

The toy blinked, and frowned. “Hello? Sir?”

Phoenix reached and tugged on one of its ears. How soft! Must have been expensive--

_ “Ow!”  _ It jerked away, and cupped its sore ear with one hand. “Watch it, mister!”

“WAUGH!!!” Phoenix flailed in his seat, scrambling backwards, his sunglasses falling off his face. “Y-YOU’RE ALIVE?!”

“Ah!” The fox jumped. “Um, yeah?” He regained his composure. “Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Phoenix stared at him. A living, breathing cartoon animal. “Uh…” He managed a feeble reply. “R-Right, of course…”

“DAMN DIRTY APE!”

The fox turned around at the shout. He watched for a moment as Athena jumped and yelled at the palm tree. Then he turned back his head towards Phoenix, one brow raised. “What’s going on with her? Do you know?”

“Oh, uh… Yeah.” At least now he was being asked questions he knew the answers to. “That’s one of my apprentices, Athena. A monkey stole her necklace.”

“Ohhh.” The fox nodded, as though jewelry theft via monkey was a perfectly normal problem to have. “I can help her out. You sit and rest your back, sir.”

Sheesh, whatever this darn thing is, he’s treating him like an old man. “Now hang on.”

Whatever Phoenix was going to say after that completely stopped mattering when the fox _spun his tails together and_ **_started flying_** **.**

He could only watch in gaping awe as the fox flew around the monkey fast enough to make it dizzy, took Widget, and returned it to a delighted Athena.

“Aww, thank you, little guy!” She said happily, putting Widget back around her neck.

“Aw, it was no biggie--”

Athena squeed. “Aren’t you the cutest little thing?!”

“Wait WAIT PUT ME DOWN!”

Athena spun him around, the little fox flailing in her iron grip. “SO CUUUUTE!!!”

Oh, no, now instead of Athena he has to get up to help the fox. Phoenix managed to stand up without hurting himself. “Athena!” He called, going their way. “Stop! You’re going to crush him!”

“Huh?” Athena stopped her spinning. “I’m not hurting him! Honest!”

The fox croaked. “Help…me…”

Phoenix used his best stern scolding dad voice. “Put him down, Athena.”

She pouted. “Oh, fine.” She did let him down, if reluctantly. Then he was able to breathe again and did so with gusto.

“Sorry about that,” Phoenix said. He figured _ someone  _ had to apologize. “Are you alright? Athena’s...excitable.”

Tails stood up straight, having caught his breath. “Oof...I’m okay.”

“So cute…” Athena didn’t seem to hear Phoenix speak. “What’s your name, little guy?”

“Oh, you can call me Tails.” He said politely. “Erm, who are you guys?”

Phoenix raised a brow. That’s good that he was recovering from the hug of death, but who named this kid? Naming someone after a prominent feature...wasn’t that usually bullying? Would they run into another animal named Legs?

“Hello, Tails! I’m Athena Cykes, and this is my boss, Phoenix Wright.” She mashed her right fist into her palm, grinning broadly. “We’re  _ lawyers!  _ Cool, huh? _ ” _

Tails looked at the teenage girl in a frilly yellow swimsuit who had been screaming at a monkey and tried to squeeze him to death, and then at the older man with a bad back and a Hawaiian shirt.

“Oh,” he said, poorly restraining his scepticism. “Um… Really?”

Phoenix found himself wincing. This tiny fox could cut surprisingly deep. “I, uh, I know we don’t really look the part right now, but we are. I promise. We’re just on vacation.”

“He’s still so cute!” Athena’s cooing did not even falter. “Even when he’s judging us!”

“No judgement meant,” said Tails quickly, “I was just surprised, is all!”

“Aw, we’re not offended!” Athena said cheerfully. 

Speak for yourself, thought Phoenix.

“Say, do you live here, or are you on vacation too?” She went on. “This city is great!”

“Oh, I don’t live here, but I...visit a lot?” He seemed to have to think about this. “I guess  _ sometimes  _ it’s like a vacation.” 

“Oh, right! That reminds me.” Tails’ ears perked up. “Have either of you seen Sonic? Er, that is,” he remembered their shock at his existence, “a blue hedgehog a little taller than me, probably running really fast? We were supposed to meet up here a few days ago, but I haven’t seen him anywhere.”

“Ohhhh  _ that’s  _ the Sonic that article was talking about!” Athena smacked her own head in realization. “I was up half the night yesterday trying to figure that out! I thought he was a football mascot.”

What did that Sonic guy do to end up in the news? “What she means is no, kiddo, sorry,” said Phoenix apologetically. “We haven’t seen him. You’re the first...talking animal? ...I’ve ever met.”

The fox’s ears drooped. “Right...that makes sense. Oh well, it was worth a shot.”

Poor little guy. Wonder if they were friends, or maybe family? For all Phoenix knew, a talking hedgehog and a talking fox COULD be related somehow.

“Is that usual for him?” Athena asked, in as motherly a voice as she could manage. “Missing appointments like that?”

Tails shook his head. “No. He does wander a lot, but if he says he’s gonna be somewhere, he usually means it. ”

“Usually?”

“Well...okay,” Tails admitted, “he has forgotten a few times.” He finally smiled. “I’m probably just worrying too much. He’s too tough to get into danger…” 

He looked troubled again. “At least, to  _ stay  _ in danger. Usually. Most of the time.”

Though he knew better than to say it out loud, Phoenix had a bad feeling. That was a heavily qualified statement.

“I’m sure he’ll turn up!” Athena said. “If he doesn’t, we could help!”

“Huh?” Tails looked up at her, confused and wide-eyed. “Er, not that I don’t appreciate it, but… You’re lawyers.”

She once again punched into her palm. “We’ve investigated lots of crime scenes! We know a thing or two about tracking down witnesses!”

“That,” Phoenix said, “and helping folks is why we became defense attorneys in the first place. You know your friend best, so I can’t judge whether there’s a crime here or not, but if it turns out there is, we can definitely help uncover the truth.”

Tails smiled again. “I appreciate it. Though hopefully it won’t come to that.”

**_September 15th, 2:18 PM_ **

Rouge was lounging upstairs in her plush bedroom. She finally had the day off from GUN work, and was making the most of it. The newly-dried purple robe she wore was fluffy and warm; she lay in it in bed on a truly extravagant amount of pillows. Her cell phone was in a drawer, out of sight. It was almost perfect.

She sighed, and set down her glass of coconut lime flavored sparkling water on her white nightstand. She hadn’t seen Shadow in four days now. That didn’t worry her; sometimes he was true to the brooding loner stereotype and went off on his own for awhile. Usually it was more annoying than anything else. 

Unfortunately, her day off was marred by a single, nagging fact. Sonic had vanished at pretty much the same time. 

Tails had called yesterday to ask if she had seen him; of course it was probably fine, he’d said, Sonic probably just forgot the appointment and wandered off or something, but he wanted to check anyway. 

Tails was a smart kid. If something was up, he’d notice.

Rouge suddenly remembered that the two hedgehogs had also disappeared right before Eggman and Infinite’s takeover. Omega too. Though as far as she knew, he was still around...

Ugh. Her ears lay back. Dammit. She is supposed to be relaxing.

This was capped off when her phone rang, making her jump. She begrudgingly sat up. “Oh, what now?” She muttered, rifled through her nightstand drawer for her phone. 

She glanced at the screen, took a deep breath, and answered the unfamiliar number professionally. “Yes? Rouge the bat speaking.”

Her wish that it turn out to be a robocall that she could ignore and hang up on went unfulfilled. Rouge listened with increasing alarm. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, “did you say Shadow was  _ arrested?  _ What for?!”

She stood up, pacing around the room. The voice on the other end explained the circumstances and the charges. All thoughts of relaxing were now shattered.

Rouge briefly held the phone away from her ear, seething with rage. “I’m going to kill him.” 

She brought it close again. “Sorry, what was that? ...Yes, I’ll come to the station. And,” she headed for her closet to get dressed, “as soon as I can, I’ll get him a lawyer.”


End file.
